Trestle



(No Model.)

J. H. BANKS.

TRBSTLE.

Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

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' N TED STATES PATE T O FIC JOHN H. BANKS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

'TRESTLE.

SBECIFICATION forming part of-Letters Patent No. 416,544, dated December 3, 1889.

' Application filed Apfil 23, 1889. Serial No. 308,315. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,.JoHN H. BANKS, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Harris burg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Trestles and: I do. hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to portable or 'foldable trestles, especially adapted for supporting ironing-boards, cooling-boards, and other purposes; and it has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive trestle which can be quickly and easilyffolded within a very small space for shipment or storage and readily extended or adjusted longitudinally to accommodate boards or other objects of varying lengths.

\Vith these and such other objects as appertain to my invention, it consists in the combination of a longitudinal base, two upright vertical standards adjustably connected at opposite ends of said longitudinal base, a

pair of inclined standards pivoted, centrally to each of said vertical standards, and a horizontal arm or arms connecting the upper ends of each pair of said inclined standards and detachably connected to said vertical standards. These horizontal arms, which connect the upper ends of the vertical and inclined standards, form the supports for the ends of the ironing or cooling board, and they also serve tobrace and steady the inclined and vertical standards. rest on the floor and prevent the trestle from tilting laterally to either side, and the verti-.

make the base extensible.longitudinally, so

The. inclined standards stand my invention, 1 will now proceed: to a detailed description of the same in connection with the accompanying drawings, 'in

which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my trestle, showing the same unfolded for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts folded'together for shipment or storage. Fig. 3 is a vertical detail sectional view taken through the arms or bars 12 13 and the upper end otithe vertical centralstandard, to show the hooked pivot-bolt 14 and the notch or recess in which the hook on the bolt is fitted when the parts are unfolded. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View through the sectional slotted base or sill to show the means for connecting the sliding sections of the base'or sill.

Like numerals Otreference denote corre-' sponding parts in all. the figures of the drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, (shown in the accompanying drawings,) 1 designates the longitudinal base or sill; 2, the vertical standards, and 3 4 the inclined standards, a pair of said inclined standards being pivotally connected by a single throughbolt 5 to each of the vertical central standards 2 at the middle of the same. Each of the vertical standards is hinged at its lower end, as at 6, to one end of the longitudinal base or sill, so as to fold fiat upon the same; and to the opposite side or face of each vertical standard is arranged the pair of inclined pivoted standards, which are adapted to fold so as to lie flush with the side faces or edges of said central standard. The ver site sides of a line drawn through the longitudinal middle of the base or sill, so as to fold against the latter out of line with each other side by side, and each standard is strengthened and held in its upright position by means of an inclined foldable brace 7, which consists of two members 8 9 that are pivoted to the base and the upright Standard, one end of the member 8 being pivoted to the other member 9 at an intermediate point of the length of said member 9, and having a notch 10 to receive a lateral lip or stud 11 on the extreme outer end of the member 9, when said members of the brace are unfolded in line with each other. The members of each foldable brace are prevented from collapsing when the brace is unfolded by the lip of one member thereof fitting in the notch of the other member; and said braces are arranged on opposite sides of the base or sill laterally thereof, so that the standards can fold against the sill without interference from their braces.

To the upper ends of each pair of inclined standards 4 5 are connected two horizontal arms or bars 12 13, one bar being hinged to one of the standards of the pair in such a manner that it can fold in line with said standard. The arms of each pair cross or lap each other at their middle, and they are pivotally connected together by means of a pivot-bolt 14, which has a hook 16 at one end that is adapted, when the arms occupy a horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 1, to fit in a recess or slot 17, formed in the extreme upper end of the vertical standard. \Vhen the inclined standards of each pair are unfolded and rest on the floor, the hinged arms 12 13 are drawn or forced into horizontal positions at right angles to the vertical standard, and the hook 16 of the piv0t-bolt 11 fits in the notch or recess 17 of the vertical standard to hold the inclined standards 3 4 and the bars 12 13 in their proper relative positions.

It will be noted that the horizontal arms of each pair of inclined standards lie in substantially the same horizontal plane, and on these arms rest the ends of an ironing or cooling board.

Although I have described my invention as adapted for supporting an ironing or cooling board, I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the use of myinvention for the particular purposes specified, as it can be used to equal advantage in other arts where a portable foldable trestle is desirable for holding objects.

As a support for an ironing-board, my improved trestle is exceedingly eflicient, as 'no obstruction is interposed in the way of the articles of wearing-apparel-as, for instance, dresses, which are usually slipped over the board for convenience.

To adapt the trestle for supporting articles of different lengths, I have constructed the base or sill 1 so it can be extended or adjusted longitudinally and thereby vary the distance between the standards at the end of the sill. The sill or base consists of two members or sections 20 21, which are recessed or cut away longitudinally on one side, so as to lap and lie flush with each other, the ends of the recessed part of each member striking against the abrupt shoulder formed by the recess when the sections or members are forced together, said shoulders thus serving as stops for limiting the inward movement of the members of said base or sill. Each member is provided with a longitudinal slot 22, and through the aligned slots extend headed guide-pins 23, which are secured to the members, and which serve to keep the same in proper alignment, while affording means for permitting them to be drawn longitudinally apart.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When the parts are folded, as indicated in Fig. 2, the standards 2 are elevated partially to enable the legs 3 4, when opened, to clear the base or sill, after which the knobs 25 on the hinged bars 12 13 of the standards 3 4 are drawn apart to separate the legs and the pivoted arms or bars. This separation of the hinged and pivoted arms separates the ends of the pivoted inclined legs, so that the lower ends clear the base or sill and lie on opposite sides of the same, so that the hinged central standard can be raised to its full height, after which the pivoted bars or arms are lowered to assume the proper horizontal position and spread the inclined legs laterally, the heck of the bolt fitting in the notch or recess in the upper end of the vertical standard, whereby the bars and the inclined standards are held in place laterally, the vertical standard being held in place by the brace, which automatically unfolds when said standard is raised. The other vertical standard at the opposite end of the sill and the inclined standard and arms attached thereto are unfolded in the same manner, and the trestle is then in condition to receive the ironing or cooling board or other object. To fold the parts, the hoole of the bolt 14 is forced out of the notch in the vertical standard, which raises the arms 12 13 and draws the inclined standards inward toward the base or sill, and the vertical standard is then folded against the base, the operation of moving the arms in line with the inclined standards and of compactly folding the several arms and standards against one another being effected while the vertical standard is being depressed against the base. The vertical standard at the other end of the sill or base is folded in like manner.

It will be observed that the several parts can be expeditiously and easily folded within a very small compass for shipment or storage and as readily unfolded for use; that the peculiar arrangement of the standards and bars provide means for holding the trestle very steady and secure in place, and that the de vice is simple and durable in construction,

cheap of manufacture, and reliable andeffi cient in service.

I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details of con struction and form and proportion of parts herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention, as I am aware that changes and alterations therein can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A trestle consisting of a base or sill, a foldalole vertical upright or standard at each end of said base, a pair of inclined standards pivoted to each vertical standard, and a horizontal arm or arms carried by each pair of inclined standards, substantially as and for the purpose described. 7

2. A trestle consisting,essentially, of a base or sill, a vertical standard at each end of said sill, a pair of inclined standards connected to each vertical standard, and the horizontal arms supported by the upper ends of the standards, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A portable trestle consisting, essentially, of a longitudinal base or sill, the vertical standards hinged to the ends of said base and adapted to fold against the same, a pair of inclined standards pivoted to each vertical standard, and a horizontal arm or arms connected to the inclined standards and adapted to be detachably connected to the central vertical standard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A portable trestle consisting of a longitudinal base or sill, a vertical standard hinged to each end of the base and having afoldable brace, a pair of inclined standards pivoted to each vertical standard at an intermediate point of the length of the same, and a pair of arms or bars hinged to the upper ends of said inclined standards and pivotally connected together by a bolt, which is adapted to be detachably connected to the central standard when said arms are adjusted in horizontal positions, substantially as and for the purpose described,

5. A trestle consisting, essentially, of a longitudinally-extensible base or sill, a vertical standard at one end of each section or member of said sill, a pair of inclined standards connected to each vertical standard, and the horizontal arms carried by the upper ends of said standards, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A trestle consisting of a longitudinallyextensible sill or base consisting of two slot-ted members which are connected by suitable devices, a foldable vertical standard hinged to each member of the base, and having a foldable brace which is connected to the member of the sill by which its standard is carried, a pair of inclined standards pivoted to each vertical standard, and the horizontal arms supported by the upper ends of the standards, all arranged and combined for service substantially as described.

7. A trestle consisting of a base or sill, a

vertical standard hinged to each end of said base or sill and having a recess or notch in its upper end, a pair of inclined standards pivotally connected to each vertical standard, a pair of arms or bars hinged to the ends of the inclined standards and adapted to be arranged at rightangles across the vertical standard, and a pivot-bolt passing through each pair of arms or bars and having a head adapted to fit in the recess or notch in the vertical standard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

- In testimony whereofIaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. BANKS. \Vitnesses:

O. G. SOHRIVER, U. P. BANKS. 

